Internal combustion engine



Jan. 17, 1961 A. E. KOLBE I 2,968,293

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Dec. 51, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. BY aJaez'e 616/2;

Arrop/vgv Jan. 17, 1961 A. E. KOLBE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 51, 1958 ATTORNL Y United States Patent C2,968,293 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Adelhert E. Kolbe, Berkley, Mich.,assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Dec. 31, 1958, Ser. No. 784,317

8 Claims. (Cl. 123-4169) This invention relates to engines and hasparticular relation to small, light weight, high speed, economical andinexpensive, internal combustion engines for utilization in motorvehicles of small size.

It is proposed to construct an engine with a centrally disposedcrankcase made in sections and having openings in opposite side walls towhich a plurality of individual cylinders may be secured. A single headmay be employed for each row of cylinders, the heads being provided withopenings in which the outer ends of the cylinders may be received. Thecylinders may be constructed of cast iron or other suitable materialhaving a diiferent expansion rate from the aluminum or other lightweight metal of which the crankcase sections and the heads are made. I vI s It is proposed to secure the crankcase sections together with boltsand to employ other bolts or studs for securing the cylinders betweenthe heads and the crankcase. The other bolts or studs may be madeof ironor some material with an expansion rate similar to that of thecylinders. The cylinders are provided with valves for the operation ofwhich it is proposed to employ rocker arms individually mountedonsupports forming nuts for the ends of certain of the studs employed insecuring the cylinders between the heads and the cranckcaser Fins areemployed on the heads and the cylindersand through which passages areformed for accommodating the various studs and supports.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view taken lengthwise through thecrankcase of an engine embracing the principles of the invention. Figure1 is taken substantially in the plane of line 1-1 on Figure 2 looking inthe direction of the arrows thereon. p Q

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view through the engine disclosed byFigure l and taken substantially in the plane of line 22 on Figure l. ss

The crankcase 10 of the engine 11 may embrace crankcase sections 12 and13 having flangesfaround the edges thereof adapted to be securedtogether by bolts 14 The crankcase 10 may have an upper wall 16, a lowerwall 17, a pair of spaced side walls 18 and transverse walls 19, theseveral walls forming crankcase compartments 21 within the crankcase 10.The transverse walls 19 also may have mating flanges 22 on which thesections 12 and 13 are secured together by studs 23. The studs 23project through spaced and parallel openings in the transverse walls 19and have nuts 24 disposed outside the crankcase 10 and engaging bosses26. The studs 23 are adapted to rigidly secure the sections of thecrankcase together on opposite sides of bearings 27 in which acrankshaft 28 for the engine is adapted to be rotatably mounted. Thecrankshaft 28 has crankarms 29 disposed compartments 21. The openings 31are adapted to recerve the annular shouldered ends 32 of cast iron orother suitable cylinders indicated at 33. The opposite annularshouldered ends 34 of the cylinders 33 are adapted to be received withinopenings formed in cylinder heads 36, there being one of the cylinderheads 36 for each row of the cylinders 33. The heads 36 and thecrankcase 12 may be constructed of aluminum or other lightweightmaterial.

The heads 36 are adapted to be secured to the cylinders 33 and thecylinders 33 to the crankcase 10 by studs 37 disposed around each of thecylinders 33 in parallel relation to the axis of the cylinder. The innerthreaded ends of each of the studs 37 are secured in bosses 38 formed inthe crankcase sections 12 and 13 around the openings 31. The outerthreaded ends of the studs project through openings formed in the innerwalls 39 of the heads 36 and are there secured by nuts or other suitablesecuring means. 41. The cylinders 33 and the heads 36 are provided withfins 42 disposed transversely of the axis of the cylinders 33. The fins42 of the cylinders 33 have openings formed inwardly of the outerperipheral edges of the greatest part of the fins to provide passagesfor receiving the studs 37. The fins 42 of the heads 36 also haveopenings formed inwardly of the outer peripheral edges of the fins toprovide passages recharges are adapted to be compressed by pistons 46connected to the crankarms 29 by connecting rods 47. The

supplying and exhausting of the charges is controlled by inlet valves 48and exhaust valves 49, there being one inlet valve and one exhaust valvefor each of the cornbustion chambers 44. The stems of the valves 48 and49 are adapted to be mounted in the heads 36 in valve guides 51. Theouter ends of the stems may be operated by rocker arms 52 actuated bypush rods 53 and valve lifters 54 operated by cams 56 on a camshaft 57mounted between the sections 12 and 13 of the crankcase 10 below thecrankshaft 28. Enough of the studs 37 may be employed so that there willbe two on one side vof each of the cylinders immediately below where itmay be desirable to support the rocker arms 52. Supports 58 for therocker arms maybe provided by forming elongated extensions on thesecuring means 41 for the two studs, for each cylinder. The supportmeans 58 is adapted to extend in alignment with the studs 37 throughpassages formedin the fins 42 of the heads 36. Nuts 59 formed on thesupports 58 and accessible from. outwardly of the wall 61, provide meansfor tightening the securing means 41 for the two studs upon the threadedends of the two studs and against the inner Walls 39 for the heads. Thesupports 58 inwardly of the nuts 59 are 'journaled in cylindricalabutment or bearing openings formed in the outerwall 61 to permitturning of the supports 58 by the nuts 59 and to rigidly support theouter ends of the supports. The rocker arms 52 are rotatably mounted onthe outer ends of the supports 58, to be capable of operation with thepush rods 53 and the stems of the valves 48 and 49. Rocker arm covers 62are secured to the outer wall 61 around the outer ends of the push rods53, the stems of the valves 48, the outer ends of the supports 58 andthe rocker arms 52. The push rods are surrounded by tubes 63 secured inopenings in the walls 61 and in the crankcase sections 12 and 13 at theends of bosses 64 in which the v-alve lifters 54 are slidably mounted.The inner ends of the tubes 63 are flared outwardly to seat againstO-ring seals 107 disposed in annular recesses formed in the outer endsof the bosses 64. The tubes 63 are resiliently held in engagement withthe O-rings 107 by springs 101 mounted on the reduced ends 106 of thetubes 63. The reduced ends 106 project through openings in the Walls 61of the head so that the push rods 103 may extend into the rocker armcompartments within the covers 62. Sealing material 104 is disposedabout the reduced ends and in recesses in the Walls 61 and is pressed inthe recesses by rings 102 against which the springs 101 are disposed.The opposite ends of the springs 101 engage flanged sleeves 103 disposedon the tubes 63 against the shoulders where the reduced ends 106 areformed. The springs 101 cause a sealing of the opposite ends of thetubes against the O-ring seals 107 and the sealing material 104 therebypreventing leakage of lubricant transferred by the tubes 63 from therocker arm compartments to the crankcase.

The exhaust gas from the engine may be exhausted from the valves 49 byexhaust passages 71 formed in the heads 36 in such a way as to extenddownwardly from the valves. The combustible charges are supplied to thecylinders through inlet passages 72 formed in the upper part of theheads and communicating with a manifold passage 73 formed in the outerwall 61 of the heads. The manifold passage may be closed along one sidethereof by a cover 74.

The walls 18 of the crankcase have extensions 66 with lower flangededges 67 against which an oil pan 68 may be secured. The walls 64 andthe oil pan 68 provide an oil sump 69 for storing excess lubricating oilrequired for the operation of the engine. The engine may be lubricatedby a pump 76 secured to a front cover 77 in which a seal 78 is formedaround one end of the crankshaft 28. The pump has a shaft 79 adapted tobe driven by the adjacent end of the camshaft 57. The crankshaft 28drives the camshaft 57 through gears 92 and 93, the gears being disposedwithin a compartment 94 formed in the clutch housing 96 also enclosing adriving disk 97 by which the drive from the engine is applied.

The engine may be cooled by a blower 81 mounted on a shaft 82 rotatablein a bearing 83 secured in a bracket 84 mounted on the upper part of thecrankcase 10. The blower is adapted to be driven by a pulley 86 drivenby a belt 87 extending over an idler pulley 88 from a pulley 89 mountedon an end 91 of the crankshaft 28 projecting through the cover 77. Oilfor cooling and lubricating the engine may be circulated by the pump 76to oil coolers 98 mounted in a shroud 99 immediately outside thedelivery side of the blower 81. The shroud 99 extends downwardly aroundthe engine so as to direct the air supplied by the blower under the fins42 and other parts of the engine for cooling the engine.

I claim:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising a crankcase having spacedand oppositely disposed side walls and having transverse walls extendingbetween said side walls, said transverse walls being formed to providecrankshaft and camshaft bearing means extending in parallel relationbetween said side walls, said crankcase being divided be tween said sidewalls and through transverse walls and said crankshaft and camshaftbearing means to provide oppositely disposed crankcase sections, boltsextending through openings in said walls and securing said sectionstogether, said crankcase having oppositely disposed pairs of openingsformed in said side walls and having bosses formed around said pairs ofopenings, oppositely extending pairs of cylinders engaging saidcrankcase and aligned with and closing said pairs of openings, headsengaging and closing the outer ends of said cylinders, studs havinginner and outer ends and being disposed around said cylinders, saidinner ends of said studs engaging and being secured in openings formedin said bosses, said outer threaded ends of said studs extending throughopenings in said heads, and means engaging said outer ends of said studsand said heads and securing said heads to said cylinders and saidcylinders to said crankcase sections.

2. An internal combustion engine comprising a crankcase having spacedand oppositely disposed side walls and having transverse walls extendingbetween said side walls, said transverse walls being formed to providecrankshaft and camshaft bearing means extending in parallel relationbetween said side Walls, said crankcase being divided between said sidewalls and through said crankshaft and camshaft bearing means to provideoppositely disposed crankcase sections, bolts extending through openingsalong said side walls and securing said sections together, boltsextending through openings in said transverse walls and on oppositesides of said crankshaft bearing means and securing said sectionstogether, said crankcase having oppositely disposed pairs of openingsformed in said side walls and having bosses formed around said pairs ofopenings, oppositely extending pairs of cylinders engaging saidcrankcase and aligned with and closing said pairs of openings, headsengaging and closing the outer ends of said cylinders, studs havinginner and outer ends and being disposed around said cylinders, saidinner ends of said studs engaging and being secured in openings formedin said bosses, said outer ends of said studs extending through openingsin said heads, and means engaging said outer ends of said studs and saidheads and securing said heads to said cylinders and said cylinders tosaid crankcase sections.

3. An internal combustion engine comprising a crankcase having a sidewall having an opening therein and having bosses formed around saidopening, a cylinder engaging said crankcase and aligned with and closingsaid opening, a head having valve means therein and engaging and closingthe outer end of said cylinder, studs having inner and outer ends andbeing disposed around said cylinder, said inner ends of said studsengaging and being secured in openings formed in said bosses, said outerends of said studs extending through openings in said head, meansrotatably engaging said outer ends of said studs and said head andsecuring said head to said cylinder and said cylinder to said crankcase,certain of said rotatably engaging and securing means being axiallyelongated and extending beyond the outer extremity of said head andproviding rotatable support means, said rotatable support means and saidhead being formed inwardly of said outer extremity of said head toprovide rigid means radially supporting said rotatable support means insaid head, means operable from beyond said outer extremity of said headfor operating said rotatable support means for tightening said certainof said rotatably engaging and securing means on said studs and saidhead, and rocker arm means mouted on said rotatable support means andoperatively engaging said valve means.

4. An internal combustion engine comprising a crankcase having a sidewall having an opening therein and having bosses formed around saidopening, a cylinder engaging said crankcase and aligned with and closingsaid opening, a head having valve means therein and engaging and closingthe outer end of said cylinder, studs having inner and outer ends andbeing disposed around said cylinder, said inner ends of said studsengaging and being secured in openings formed in said bosses, said outerends of said studs extending through openings in said head, meansrotatably engaging said outer ends of said studs and said head andsecuring said head to said cylinder and said cylinder to said crankcase,certain of 'said rotatably engaging and securing means being axiallyelongated and extending beyond the outer extremity of said head andproviding rotatable support means, said rotatable support means and saidhead being formed inwardly of said outer extremity of said head toprovide rigid means radially supporting said rotatable support means insaid head, means operable from beyond said outer extremity of said headfor operating said rotatable support means for tightening said certainof said rotatably engaging and securing means on said studs and saidhead, and rocker arm means mounted on said rotatable support means andoperatively engaging said valve means, other of said rotatably engagingand securing means being not so axially elongated as said certain ofsaid rotatably engaging and securing means and terminating within saidouter extremity of said head and being spaced along the sides thereoffrom said head, said head beyond said other of said rotatably engagingand securing means being formed to provide axially aligned opening meansextending through said outer extremity of said head and rendering saidother of said rotatably engaging and securing means accessible fortightening on said studs and said head.

5. An internal combustion engine comprising a crankcase having a sidewall having an opening therein and having bosses formed around saidopening, a cylinder engaging said crankcase and aligned with and closingsaid opening, a head having inlet and exhaust valve means therein andengaging and closing the outer end of said cylinder, studs having innerand outer ends and being disposed around said cylinder, said inner endsof said studs engaging and being secured in openings formed in saidbosses, said outer ends of said studs extending through openings in saidhead, means rotatably engaging said outer ends of said studs and saidhead and securing said head to said cylinder and said cylinder to saidcrankcase, certain of said rotatably engaging and securing means beingdisposed in axially aligned opening means formed in said head andextending outwardly through the outer extremity of said head, supportmeans mounted on said head remotely from said axially aligned openingmeans and out of axial alignment with said axially aligned openingmeans, rocker arm means mounted on said support means and operativelyengaging said inlet and exhaust valve means, said certain of saidrotatably engaging and securing means being accessible through saidaxially aligned opening means for tightening on said studs and said headwhile said rocker arm means operatively engages said inlet and exhaustvalve means and said support means supports said rocker arm means and ismounted on said head.

6. An internal combustion engine comprising a crankcase .having a sidewall having an opening therein and having bosses formed around saidopening, a cylinder engaging said crankcase and aligned with and closingsaid opening, said cylinder having axially spaced radial fins formedthereon along the length of said cylinder, a head having an inner wallengaging and closing the outer end of said cylinder, studs having innerand outer ends and being disposed around said cylinder, said inner endsof said studs engaging and being secured in openings formed in saidbosses, said outer ends of said studs extending through openings in saidinner Wall of said head, and means engaging said outer ends of saidstuds and said inner wall of said head and securing said head to saidcylinder and said cylinders to said crankcase, said head being formed toprovide elongated passages beyond said inner wall and aligned with saidstuds and extending across said head and receiving and enclosing saidengaging and securing means, said cylinder being formed to provideelongated passages receiving and enclosing said studs, said elongatedpassages in said cylinder being formed to extend across said fins andbeing formed in said fins by axially spaced openings in said fins, saidaxially spaced openings in certain of said fins being enclosed withinthe outer edges of said certain of said fins.

7. An internal combustion engine comprising a crankcase having a sidewall having an opening therein and having bosses formed around saidopening, a cylinder en gaging said crankcase and aligned with andclosing said opening, a head having an inner wall engaging and closingthe outer end of said cylinder, said head having axially spaced radialfins formed thereon along said head outwardly from said inner wall,studs having inner and outer ends and being disposed around saidcylinder, said inner ends of said studs engaging and being secured insaid bosses, said outer ends of said studs extending through openings insaid inner wall of said head, and means engaging said outer ends of saidstuds and said inner Wall of said head and securing said head to saidcylinders and said cylinders to said crankcase, said head being formedto provide elongated passages beyond said inner wall and aligned withsaid inner wall openings and extending across said head and receivingand enclosing said engaging and securing means, said elongated passagesin said head being formed to extend across said fins and being formed insaid fins by axially spaced openings in said fins, said axially spacedopenings in certain of said fins being enclosed within the outer edgesof said certain of said fins.

8. An internal combustion engine comprising a crankcase having a sidewall having an opening therein and having bosses formed around saidopening, a cylinder engaging said crankcase and aligned with and closingsaid opening, said cylinder having axially spaced radial fins formedthereon along the length of said cylinder, a head having an inner wallengaging and closing said outer end of said cylinder, said head havingaxially spaced radial fins formed thereon along said head outwardly fromsaid inner wall, studs having inner and outer ends and being disposedaround said cylinder, said inner ends of said studs engaging and beingsecured in said bosses, said outer ends of said studs extending throughopenings in said inner wall of said head, and means engaging said outerends of said studs and said inner wall of said head and securing saidhead to said cylinders and said cylinders to said crankcase, said headbeing formed to provide elongated passages beyond said inner wall andaligned with said inner wall openings and extending across said head andreceiving and enclosing said engaging and securing means, said cylinderbeing formed to provide elongated passages receiving and enclosing saidstuds, said elongated passages in said head and in said cylinder beingformed to extend across said fins and being formed in said fins byaxially spaced openings, said axially spaced openings in certain of saidfins on said head and on said Eylinder being enclosed within the outeredges of said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,857,077 Adamson May 3, 1932 2,515,347 Jameson July 18, 1950FOREIGN PATENTS 759,206 Germany Mar. 30, 1953

